Native Fish Rescue Operation Swings Into Gear

December 19, 2007

Release from: ABC News (Australia)

A rescue operation is underway to protect one of the Murray River's most vulnerable native fishes.

A population of native yarra pygmy perch in Lake Alexandrina in South Australia is threatened by falling lake levels.

Scientists have begun removing some of the fish from the lake.

Researcher Michael Hammer says the fish make up a special sub-population, which has been isolated for more than 10,000 years.

"Yeah, they're quite genetically distinct so we're trying to preserve that genetic information by looking after the population," he says.

"We'll keep an eye on the natural population to see if they respond naturally, but if they don't, then we'll be trying our best to maintain them to have a population to return to the wild".